One of the nicest things about summer break is having the time to catch up on music from markets I love but don’t always follow with as much discipline as K-pop. Ado’s New Genesis (新時代) may have been released last month, but I’d be remiss not to write about it regardless of how many days have passed.
Like most, I was introduced to Ado via her 2020/21 mega-hit Usseewa and then again through follow-up Odo (which I prefer). Their rough-and-tumble sound isn’t always to my taste, but there’s no denying Ado’s incredible energy and talent. She’s an unconventional superstar by Western standards, never revealing her actual name or face. Instead, her videos present avatars similar to what you’d see in vocaloid music. I’ve always found it hard to connect with this approach for the same reason I’m not a huge fan of animated movies. But again, it’s hard to resists when the talent and songs are there.
With New Genesis, the talent and song definitely shows up. The track sees Ado performing as “Uta,” star of the upcoming anime One Piece Film: Red. This alter-alter ego allows her to make a sonic shift, bringing in more electronic textures to support her powerful, gritty vocals. The result is transcendent, delivering tons of drama within a taut pop framework. To me, her voice has never sounded more dynamic – guttural and angelic in equal measure. The bright synth lines echoing her refrains provide a perfect balance. The entire arrangement is anchored by footfalls of percussion, giving the track a larger-than-life, battle-ready heft. It all culminates in a glorious chorus that’s cathartic and grand and seriously satisfying.
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 10 |
| Longevity | 9 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 9.25 |
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
im already planning on seeing the new one piece movie once it comes out in the US, and this song is just the thing needed to really push me into it
damn july is growing to be a great month
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Oh wow I didn’t expect to see you review this song!! I’m a casual fan of Ado (still can’t believe she’s only 19) and a hardcore fan of Perfume, and New Genesis is produced by Yasutaka Nakata, the man behind Perfume’s entire discography. Nakata and Ado both blew it out of the park for this. I’m glad you enjoy the song too!
Have you listened to any of Ado’s other songs for the One Piece film? She got a whopping /seven/ songs just for the movie, though only three are out right now.
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Yasutaka’s been KILLING IT lately! The last Perfume & Kyary singles are wonderful too.
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Yes!!! I can’t wait for Mawaru Kagami to come out, I’ve had the live version on loop for months.
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Yes! I like all three, but this one is by far my favorite.
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Things I never expected to see but here they are: Nick reviewing Ado
Finally you are getting into the nitty-gritty of the non-idol J-Pop world! Glad you like this song too, solid 8.75 for me. Classic Ado really. Maybe someday you can finally get around to reviewing non-idol anime OSTs more often!
On the subject of J-Pop that you could enjoy:
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This is a benefit that I never expected from the blog. I’m so out of the loop on jpop and Nick puts me on track. I just listened to all three songs and odo is a total banger. So is new genesis but in a way that feels more digestible. Odo feels like a dance track. Usseewa didn’t hit me as hard with the hooks but I hear the message is quite nice. So glad I got introduced to ado
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Could you elaborate on that animated movie comment?I watch almost exclusively horror and animated movies. So, I’m not sure the logic is as obvious to me.
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For whatever reason, I find it harder to relate to animated characters/singers than human actors/musicians. There’s just a disconnect there for me.
With that said, there are definitely exceptions. There are a few anime series/movies that I adore. But, I’m not a Pixar/Dreamworks/etc kinda guy like many people are.
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I may be late, but I’m curious, what do you think about this song by Ado? I like all her songs, but this is one of my favorites.
Also, are you ever planning on doing YOASOBI reviews? They’re pretty popular, too, and very melodic (which I love).
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